Can-washing machine.



C. DOERING, JR.

CAN WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2. 1911. RENEWED MAR. 30. 1914.

M WM W J m Mm A M P 7 7 6 j g ma m 0 5 M 1 I 8 5 M, x 7 a 5 HQ 1 W C. DOERING, JR.

CAN WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED on. 2. 1911. 1,149,812..

RENEWED MAR. 30. 1914. I

Patented Aug. 10', 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFEQE. I

onnnrns DOERING, m, or oi-iron'eo, rumors.

CAN-WASHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug,10, 1915.,

Application filed October 2, 1911, Serial No. 652,392. Renewed March 30, 1914. Serial No. 828,388.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnLEs DOERING, Jr., a citizen ofthe United States, and residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Can-lVashing Machines, of which the following is a complete specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved can washing machine especially adapted for washing ice cream cans; to provide a machine adapted, within certain limits. to wash various sizes ofcans; to provide a machine adapted to tho-roughly clean the cans both on their inside and outside; to provide a machine in which the brushes may be easily removed for cleaning or replacing them when they become worn; to provide a machine in which the water maybe kept in constant circulation to prevent dirt and grease from settling or collecting in any part thereof; and to provide a strong and durable construction adapted to perform its work with great efliciency.

A specific embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a can washing machine embodied in this invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. i Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 1l of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the brush sets and the mounting or frame therefor, with parts in section. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a plan view of one of the spacing plates. Fig. 8 is a cross section of one of the brushes.

In the construction shown, the washing receptacle 1 is constructed of sheet metal, and extending upwardly through its bottom, near one side thereof, and through a suitable stufling box 2, is a shaft 3, which is j ournaled at its lower end in a gear casing & on the under side of the receptacle. A drive shaft 5 is journaled on the gear casing 1 and in one of the legs 6 for the receptacle, and is provided on its inner end with a beveled pinion 7 which meshes with a beveled gear 8 on the shaft 3. On the outer end of the drive shaft 5 is a fixed pulley 9 and a loose pulley 10, and pivoted on the receptacle above said pulleys is the belt shifter 11.

On the upper end of the shaft 3, within each side of the brush frame.

the receptacle is the comparatively large gear 12 which is provided with an inverted cup shaped hub 13. The upper end of the hub 13 is provided with a pin 14 which extends into a notch 15 in the end of the shaft 3 and locks the gear to the shaft, though permitting it to be lifted upwardly off the shaft. The gear 12 is provided on its upper surface with a plurality of internally threaded bosses 16, in which are secured a plurality of upwardly directed brush or frame rods 17 as herein shown four in number, and which provide the brush frame. The brushes 18 are provided with longitudinal grooves 19 in the lateral edges of their backs or heads 20 adapted to receive the rods 17 therein. A number of brushes 18 may be placed in vertical alinement between each two adjacent rods 17 thereby providing a plurality of brushes on Spacing plates 21, having apertures 22 therein for the reception of the rods- 17, are mounted on said rods between the brushes and above the upper brushes 18 and are adapted to hold said rods in unvarying relation to each other. Mounted on the upper plate 21 is an upwardly directed brush 23.

Mounted on bearings 24: and 25 on the bottom of the receptacle areshafts 26 and 27 which project upwardly into the receptacle for a. short distance, and journaled on said shafts are the gears 28 and 29 respectively, the former of which'meshes with and is'driven by the gear 12, and also meshes with and drives the gear 29. The gears 28 and 29 have brush frames 30 and 31 mounted thereon of the same construction as that frame 31 are the side brushes 33 and the top brush 3 1. The gears 28 and 29 are provided with hubs 35 similar to the hub 13, but not locked to the shafts 26 and 27.

Between the brushes 18 and 33 and the ad ja cent walls of the receptacle 1 are the crescent shaped outlet chambers 36 and 37 which extend upwardly from the bottom of'the receptacle to near the tops of the brushes 23 and 34: and are open at their upper ends. Pipes 38 lead from said chambers and open into an outlet pipe 39 extending across the bottom of the receptacle and opening through one side thereof. The pipe 39 opens into a vertical pipe 40 on the outer side of the receptacle, the lower portion of which carries off the waste water, and the upper portion of which extends above the receptacle and affords an escape for the air within the 1nverted can. The outlet chambers 36 and 37 are for the purpose of carrying off the overflow and preventing the collection of grease and dirt at the upper surface of the water. It is obvious, that when a can is inverted over the brush whereby the can-interior is to be cleaned, the'water in the receptacle being to a point in proximity to the free or upper ends of the brushes, will cause a pocket or cushion of air to be formed within the cans and thus make it impossible to properly seat the cans on the brushes. For this reason, I provide the means, shown for example in the nature of the crescent shaped chambers 36 and 37, arranged parallel with the vertically disposed side brushes 18 and 33, so as to permit them to extend into the cans. The means just referred to also have the function of maintaining a clean or fresh water supply within the cans, because said means permits the soiled surface water and grease within the cans to flow into said chambers 36 and 37 and be carried off by pipe 39 which connects with vertically disposed pipe 40 arranged to the outside of the receptacle; the pipe 40 extends to a point above the plane of the orifices of chambers 36 and 37 and is open to the atmosphere, while the other end of the pipe leads to a sewer connection or any suitable point where the water may be discharged. The receptacle 1 is also provided with drain opening 41 in its bottom, from which leads a drain pipe-42 for the purpose of emptying the re ceptacle. A valve 43 has a valve stem 44 extending above the top of the receptacle and is adapted to control the drain opening.

In the construction shown two cans 45 and 46 may be simultaneously cleaned. Said cans may be of various sizes within the limits of the device, and are inverted over the brushes 23 and 34, with the brushes 18 and 33 in contact with the inner surfaces of their side walls, and the chambers 36 and 37 extending up into the cans. Said chambers are provided at their upper ends with rubber buffers 47 adapted to support the cans.

A cross bar 48 is rigidly secured in the upper portion of the receptacle and pivot ally and slidably mounted thereon are handles 49 and 50 which carry brushes 51 and 52 adapted to clean the outer surface of the can bottoms.

The operation of the construction shown is as follows: The receptacle is filled with water to a height to overflow through. the chambers 36 and 37, and maintained at such height by water flowing into the top of the receptacle. The cans are then placed in position and the brushes 51 and 52 turned down onto the bottoms thereof. The shaft 3 is then rotated thereby rotating the brushes 18 and 33 against the inner surfaces of the cans, and the brushes 32 against the outer surfaces of the cans. The rotation of said brushes causes the cans to rotate and thereby bring the entire outer and inner surfaces of the cans into contact with the brushes. During the cleaning operation there is a tendency for the grease and dirt to rise to the surface of the water in the cans, but the flow through the outlet chambers carries it off and keeps the water clean. The upper end of the pipe 40 permits air to escape from the chambers and from the inverted cans.

If it is desired to inspect the brushes or renew them the brush frames with their gears may be lifted from the receptacle and any of the individual brushes may be re moved.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown and described it will be understood that many details of the construction shown may be varied or omitted without departing from the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A can washing machine comprising a receptacle, brush frames mounted at the bottom of said receptacle and adapted to be lifted therefrom, each of said frames com prising a plurality of vertical rods mounted on'a base and held in spaced relation by means of plates having holes adapted to receive the rods, removable brushes grooved to engage said rods and mounted thereon, and means for rotating said frames.

2. In a can Washing machine the combination of a receptacle, a plurality of upwardly directed shafts on the bottom of said receptacle, intermeshing gears mounted on said shafts and adapted to be lifted therefrom, a plurality of vertical rods mounted on each gear, rectangular brush members, having grooved sides adapted to receive the rods, and mounted on pairs of said rods, spacing plates, having holes adapted to receive the rods, and mounted thereon at the ends of the brush members, and means for rotating said gears.

3. A can washing machine, comprising a receptacle, brushes rotatably mounted in said receptacle, means whereby said brushes are rotated, hollow means arranged adjacent to, and co-extensive withsome of said brushes and adapted to convey air and water from within the cans being washed, and a conduit arranged to the outside of the receptacle and in communication, said conduit being arranged to extend to a point in proximity to the receptacle top, with said hollow means, whereby an air-passage and water-overflow are provided from points in proximity to the free ends of said brushes.

4. A can washing machine, comprising a receptacle, a series of brushes rotatably mounted 1n said receptacle and arranged to extend into the cans to be washed, means whereby the brushes are rotated, and hollow open ended means arranged parallel with the brushes and extending from the free or can-receiving ends of the brushes to the receptacle-exterior and into a plane above the top of the brush whereby air and water are permitted to escape from within the cans at points coincident with the free ends of said brushes.

5. A can washing machine, comprising a receptacle, Vertically disposed brushes rotatably mounted in the bottom of said receptacle, means whereby said brushes are r0- tated, hollow, crescent shaped members arranged adjacent to the brushes and extending from the top thereof to the bottom of the receptacle, a drain conduit extending from the bottom of the members and having a branch-opening above the top of said members and outside of the receptacle whereby air and water will be permitted to escape from a point in proximity to the upper end of the brushes and within the can.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES DOERING, JR.

Witnesses:

FRANK DOERING, J. H. BAUMGARTNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

